COOKIES BY DESIGN - Tips/Tricks Thread

I've seen a lot of curiosity about COOKIES BY DESIGN. I was thinking we should start a thread to post things we know about this company. I'd love for this thread to grow with info from anyone who may have worked for the company or knows how they do things.

I personally am very interested in knowing how they get their designs to look so perfect. Do they use a projector, stencils, or what? I am always so blown away with their ideas and how well they execute their designs.

Although sometimes I think their website pictures look amazing, and then when I go window shopping at one of their stores I think to myself that they look amateurish. The pros probably decorate for their web pictures, and then it's up to the individual skill level of each franchise to make their cookies look as good.

I have to say that I think the taste of their cookies has improved recently. My son brought one home from a party - and I couldn't stop eating it. I thought it was delicious. That was not the case many years ago - I used to think they tasted way too bland. People are always offering me their opinions and 9 times out of 10, they say they wouldn't eat their cookies - either because of taste and/or they're too thick. I always smile, however, and try to be as polite and professional as possible.

I will say that I used to work for a C by D, and I was required to sign a privacy statement to insure I would not share any secrets of the company. I'm not sure if that was just while I was working there or if it still applies.

Normally a privacy agreement or non-compete agreement lasts for a specific period of time. It can be any length of time though. I think I remember someone telling me there was a 2 year non-compete disclosure they have to sign.

I will check on the privacy agreement thing, but in the meantime, I will tell you that there are not that many great secrets. Just a few little tricks. I will let you know more when I know more!!! Don't want to get sued or anything.

Can't believe I stumbled upon this thread! I was talking to a neighbor today (who recently moved here from CA) and her daughter's last job in CA was in a CbyD. I asked her daughter about the secrets and she would not divulge (and I can understand). She said her non-compete was for 2 years also. So, jstritt, please share if you can (after you find out about your non-compete term).

And....to add to what JoanneK stated, my neighbors daughter worked there for 4 years and I believe feels very loyal to them....she loved her job. So, if it would at all make you feel at all uncomfortable to reveal any information, I respect that and please don't reveal!

I was at a party last summer and they had one of their bouquet's there. Ick is all I can say. They were way too thick, and were also sloppily decorated. I guess they're only as good as the individual store they came from.

I think theystack two or more large squares of tissue paper and wrap the center around a dowel or stick. The top gets puffed around then you can just tuck the paper right down in between the cookies. You can put a dab of glue on the end before tucking it in so that it sticks to the styrofoam and stays where you want it. Very fussy and particular but it looks nice and professional that way.

I loved working at C by D, but I am not necessarily loyal to them. I tried to check on the non compete thing, but the store I worked for has since closed. I assume that my noncompete was for two years. If others say that is what theirs was, then I'm sure mine was too. Being a franchise, everything is pretty standard.

I worked there from 2002-2003, so it has been more than two years.

What are you curious about? I will tell you that there are no great mysteries to how they do stuff.

I never made the cookies myself. The lady that baked the cookies was the store owner's mother and she didn's speak a word of English, so we never talked because I don't speak a word of Spanish (other than counting to 100) . I am pretty sure it was just a typical sugar cookie dough similar to NFSC on here. Pretty thick though.

Designs were freehand, unless I couldn't do something. Then I would use the pinprick method. Copywrighted materials had to use stencils.Decorated cookies could be frozen, but they came out with a more matte finish than freshly decorated cookies.

I don't know why they think they have to hold their secrets under lock and key. There are really no secrets, becuase everything I learned there, I have seen here on cake central. I've got news for C by D, their "secrets" are out and have been out for a long time.

The one thing that does puzzle me is the icing. I never made it from scratch, so I'm not sure how it was made (premade was also used). I know it had to be a hybrid of buttercream and royal. It dries hard but has a buttercream texture and taste. I think I have seen a recipe on here that uses butter in a form of royal icing. Probably super similar to that.

As for volume, it totally depends on where the store is at, how the store markets the product, and the demand for the product. The cookies are so expensive probably because the owners have to cover their costs, make and profit, and pay franchise fees.

I worked for a company that uses them a lot and I've also ordered/seen things from Houston and Louisiana. I have seen LOTS of the bouquets as a result and I can honestly say I've never seen one as perfect as the pictures. That's not to say some of them weren't wonderful - some of them were very poorly done - most were somewhere in between. It depends on who's doing the decorating.

I worked for a company that uses them a lot and I've also ordered/seen things from Houston and Louisiana. I have seen LOTS of the bouquets as a result and I can honestly say I've never seen one as perfect as the pictures. That's not to say some of them weren't wonderful - some of them were very poorly done - most were somewhere in between. It depends on who's doing the decorating.

I'm so curious as to how they train the decorators, does anyone know? Do they have an experienced decorator that comes in, do they send employees to a central location, train at a franchise location, etc? Better yet, what about when a new design is created?? Afterall, I'm assuming that regardless of all the franchise locations across the US, all the cookies have to be decorated exactly the same way, right?

Thanks nefgaby. I, too, looked to see if there was a CbyD in Omaha, and wouldn't you know it, there is! I'm not real familiar with that area, but I remember there being a cookie shop in the strip mall, though not a CbyD. When I'm out and about, I plan to stop in.

Franchisees are trained and then in turn train their employees. You pretty much just look at the picture and go for it! That's why some are so poorly decorated. No "formal" training for employees, just on the job training.

Did you get to eat many of them? I've noticed that with a homemade sugar cookie recipe - they can taste differently depending on if they're 1 day old, 3 days old or a week old. Would you say the CbD cookies taste the same once they're baked, or could you notice any changes as time went by?